Concrete: The Sustainable Material Of Choice For Your Commercial Building Project

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When you think of concrete, the attributes you list probably include solid, durable, and inexpensive.

But speak to a knowledgeable commercial concrete contractor, such as R&M Concrete, and you’ll discover that you can add to this list sustainability benefits for floors that could make concrete the right choice for your next commercial building project.

Keeps Cool in the City

Cities have become increasingly hot islands in the sea of cooler surrounding rural communities. This can lead to higher air conditioning costs and greater air pollution, with associated illnesses.

Concrete reflects more of the sun’s rays when compared to other heat absorbing construction materials, helping to keep things cooler.

It’s More Energy Efficient

The mass of polished concrete can serve to moderate temperature swings. The design of building concrete can also easily incorporate insulated concrete forms (ICFs) and other wall systems to further boost energy efficiency. Estimates show that concrete can be 30 to 50% more energy efficient than other traditional flooring methods. Less energy used to heat and cool a building means that smaller amounts of carbon are released into the environment.

Lighter & Brighter

Polished concrete floors have a natural light coloring that makes them more reflective than other kinds of flooring materials. This may mean that less energy is used to light spaces at night, especially if a high-gloss epoxy flooring is installed.

Has a Longer Life

Unlike materials such as metal and wood, concrete won’t rust, rot or burn, so it improves durability, gives buildings longer lives and reduces the use of materials over time. Concrete can last decades with little or no maintenance, contributing to its sustainability.

Recyclable

When a building reaches the end of its days, its concrete can be pulverized and recycled as an aggregate that finds its way into new pavements and road bases. This keeps material out of landfills while it reduces mining for new aggregates.

The manufacturing of concrete also incorporates waste products from power plants (fly ash, for example) and steel plants, which also serves to keep these materials out of landfills.

Improves Stormwater Management

Drainage systems can be overwhelmed by heavy rains, with excessive water causing flooding that can also pollute nearby bodies of waters, including streams, lakes, and ponds. As cities become overcrowded and sewer and water systems become strained, the issue can worsen.

“Pervious concrete” can solve many stormwater issues because it is permeable, letting water run through it, thereby reducing runoff. Pervious concrete eliminates the need for retention spots and other stormwater management devices. It could stop your office or other commercial space from flooding water damage.

Better Fuel Efficiency

Rigid pavements like concrete may contribute to better fuel efficiency for motor vehicles. A 2012 study by civil engineers at MIT shows that using stiffer pavements on the nation’s roads (as opposed to tar or rubber pavements) could reduce vehicle fuel consumption by as much as 3% – savings that could add up to 273 million barrels of crude oil per year. This would result in an accompanying annual decrease in CO2 emissions of 46.5 million metric tons.

Talk With A Concrete Expert

Consider concrete for your next commercial building project and contact R&M Concrete. As Tulsa and Oklahoma’s leading concrete company with more than 30 years of combined experience in the concrete business, our team has the qualifications and good customer reviews that you can trust. We provide quality work and will help troubleshoot your project challenges while delivering on time and on budget, making your building project a success.